Gillibrand wants high tech grants program

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

June 21, 2011

While New York has lost a total of more than 123,000 manufacturing jobs since 2005, advanced and high-tech manufacturing jobs are thriving. Computer and electronic manufacturing industries increased employment by 9 percent from 2004 to 2008.

To spark more growth in high-tech manufacturing in New York and create more of these good-paying jobs right here, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced her new manufacturing agenda.

Senator Gillibrand’s plan creates a Make It In America competitive grant program to help retool struggling manufacturers for the thriving fields of clean-tech and high-tech manufacturing, supports manufacturers specializing in clean energy technology, and leverages more private investment into New York’s manufacturing hubs that have been hit hardest by the economic crisis.

“America was built by New York’s manufacturing,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Our manufacturers powered our economy through the 20th century, and will be the key to fueling our economy in the 21st century. It’s time to see ‘Made In America’ again starting right here in New York. When we spark more growth in clean-tech and high-tech manufacturing, we’ll reinvigorate New York’s great manufacturing communities, start more new businesses, and create more family-supporting jobs right here where we need them the most.”

Every corner of New York State has been crippled by manufacturing job loss. A recent report by the Public Policy Institute of New York State highlights that New York’s manufacturing has been hit hard in comparison to other states around the country. Twenty years ago, nearly 1 million New Yorkers had jobs in manufacturing, but close to half of those jobs have been lost over the years and the state’s manufacturing industry has suffered. In fact, 52 of New York’s 62 counties have shown significant manufacturing job loss since 2001.

Across New York, a total of more than 123,000 manufacturing jobs were lost from 2005 to 2010, according to data from the New York State Department of Labor.

In the Hudson Valley, an estimate of more than 11,500 manufacturing jobs were lost from 2005 to 2010.